I had come to terms with how my life would play out. I would get a tiny home and live with my dogs and my chickens on my mom’s property. I would be the cool aunt. Travel. Immerse myself in my work and love myself until the right man wedged himself into the equation. When I laid my eyes on Mike, the walls that I had built silently fell before me. He didn’t know it yet, but I had already pronounced him as my future husband to my closest friends and family. The truth was, we hadn’t even spoken yet. Mike was very slow to reply to my messages, which often left me wondering if he was truly interested.

One night, on the eve of Mike’s 34th birthday, I had just enough cocktail courage and invited him out to join my friends and I in the Old Port. Lindsey, my BEST friend was in town and that rarely happens. I had to take the opportunity to not only meet my future husband, but also have my best friend meet him too.

When Mike approached the bar, I could see him walking up the sidewalk outside. My heart raced. I was excited. It felt like 100 years in the making. But he was here. Before anyone could say anything, I walked right up to him and kissed him. Yep, and as I stepped back and looked up at his smile. It was then I knew. I was right all along. We were meant to fall into this life together. He immediately captivated me in every way. He was smart, sexy, and sensitive. He made colors and sounds come alive. He inspired me to be courageous. He made me feel good. And most importantly, he loved my dogs. We quickly became a family.

One day, soon after we first met. Mike took me out on the ocean. It was a day I will never forget. We went fishing and listened to music while Daisy stood watch on the bow. The way the water moved against the hull of the boat. The birds in the sky dancing in sync with wind. I felt everything in my life all at once come and rest peacefully in my heart. I knew at that very moment; I loved Mike deeply and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

The time we spend on the water will always remind me of who Mike is and how he makes me feel. Completely at peace, and wildly in love. Making him my husband and growing the life we have together will always be my greatest gift.

I had given up on love. One last Tinder profile reboot was all that I had. I revised my profile to what I would really want out of a life partner, a girl with sass looking for adventure. I turned off my notifications because I had already accepted that I would live the rest of my life as the cool uncle with a slip on the ocean that would take my family out on adventures they would never otherwise have the opportunity to experience. Little did I know there was a crazy chicken lady out there thinking the same thing...


I returned to my app to find a crazy person having a conversation with herself but she was pretty cute and I found myself drawn to her. After a few days of back and forth, I knew I needed to find time for this one. On the eve of my birthday, I received a selfie of two beautiful women dressed to impress from a rooftop bar requesting my company. If there is one thing I learned from the movie Hitch is the way to a woman’s heart is through their friends and this would be my chance to start off meeting her best friend in the world.


Being the eve of my birthday I decided to put down my walls and wrap up work “early” and find out what she was all about. After a quick shower, I was off to a small nightclub with no idea what I was getting myself into. Upon walking up to the establishment I was met on the sidewalk and greeted not with a hello, but a great big smack on the lips. Although unsure what to make of this I was impressed by the boldness and followed her into the club.


Here I met some of Taylor's old friends and of course Lindsey. She was full of sass, energy, and of course alcohol. Sitting together she reached over and grabbed my hand set them together on my leg, and proceeded to hold my hand as she talked with her friends. Usually, an alarm would go off and I would run for the hills, but this felt different. I drove them to their vehicle and Lindsey said her goodbyes and tucked behind the corner of the building to give us a minute. We shared our first kiss to a favorite track of mine by Flux Pavilion “ I can’t stop”. This felt appropriate as I never wanted it to end.


I just couldn’t get enough and I needed to see her again. I was sure I won over her friends, but now it was Taylor's turn to win over mine. Tim was in town and we were headed out on a 30-foot closed cabin boat the following Saturday and I asked her to jump aboard. I’m sure that day was as crazy for her as our night in the club was for me. On the ocean that day we secured a place in each other’s hearts and set a precedent for the life of adventure we would share, bound together around the sea. After returning home and her departure I simply turned to Tim and asked, What do you think? His response was, “I feel like we’ve known her our entire life.” It was that moment when I knew I had found my person, the woman I would marry.

When people think about planning a wedding or getting married, it all looks and feels different for everyone. Some imagine backyard gatherings or destination weddings. Some instantly imagine large ballgown dresses and their favorite cake.

For Mike and I, the first thing we imagined was having all of you with us. Dancing, laughing, crying. We imagined you up with us at midnight singing under the stars. We imagined sharing our love and very very special moment with you.

We didn't know where or how, but it was you that gave us the desire to do this. All that you are going to see and feel with us on our wedding day, was inspired by the people who shaped us. There was no greater need than for Mike and I to share our happy ending with every person along the way that saw our first drafts. People who stood by us when we needed it most. Both as individuals before we met, and long after.

Sure, we could have run to town hall and made it official long ago. But that isn't the wedding we imagined. Because, well simply put - you wouldn't have been able to make it.

As you watch us walk down the aisle and commit the rest of our lives to each other, just know we made it to this point because of you and the way you love us. Thank you, so so very much. We can't wait to begin our next chapter as husband and wife and have you to thank. (and Tinder)

Xoxo,

Taylor (and Mike)